Revenge Works Sometimes
by BlamionexTandrexChax4evr
Summary: Emily has spent years running from her past but when a mysterious man turns up Emily is forced to face reality and choose. Her life in the Hamptons or the man she loves?
1. Face From The Past

**Author's note: Okay so I love Aiden/Emily and am desperate to write a story about them as there are certainly not enough already on here! One thing though that I often have trouble with, with a show like this, is that it's hard to give it the same intensity as the show so I hope I do this justice.**

**By the way I couldn't find a video to playback Aiden leaving Emily so unfortunately I have to do my best to remember. And haven't seen season 2 yet so am currently unaware of Nolan's living arrangements.**

_Full Summary: Emily has spent years running from her past but when a mysterious man turns up Emily is forced to face reality and choose. Her life in the Hamptons or the man she loves?_

**Warning: Rated M for sexual situations and language. Also slightly OOC.**

The benefit was going well by most accounts and Emily was eagerly anticipating the presentation. Not of course that she really cared about the elderly of the Hamptons. Oh no. What she was looking forward to was Janet Williams' – eh altered – speech. The seventy year old woman had posed as a witness to her father's "crime" and Emily knew that once the woman started reading the speech Victoria had prepared for her that she wouldn't even care what she was saying. Which was handy because Emily had already swapped her speech with her own creation which would cause a stir in Conrad and Victoria's comfortable lives… as well as Janet's.

The game was far from over and Emily certainly wasn't planning on outing the Grayson's just yet. But this speech would certainly scare the Grayson's enough to make them aware they were being hunted. So to speak.

And Janet was going to get her comeuppance.

The marquee was packed full of people half of them already drunk. In the corner Emily could see Nolan and Padma talking to Daniel and Ashley and she felt a slight pang of guilt as Daniel looked at her, confusion and love evident in his face.

"Ah Ems! Come and join us." Nolan called waving her over. Emily gave them a forced smile and made her way over to the group. Ashley handed her a glass of champagne. Daniel turned to Emily.

"You look good." He told her softly. Emily looked away making it clear she wasn't interested. Ashley watched the exchange with fury and pleasure. She was glad Emily didn't want Daniel back because if he did then she knew she would have no hold over him.

"The benefit seems to be going well." Padma commented.

"Yes it is." Nolan replied quietly. "I can't wait to hear Ms. William's speech. What about you, Ems?" He asked. Emily shot him a glare.

"It should be interesting," she replied. There was silence in the group for a moment as they all surveyed the party. Nolan turned to Daniel.

"So what was it you were saying before about that Japanese guy?" he asked loudly, catching Emily's attention. Her ears listened to the conversation as she pretended to talk to Padma.

"Eh yeah. Satoshi Takeda. One of his guys arrived earlier looking for Dad. Hope he's not pulling out of the deal…" Daniel's brow furrowed as if the thought had just occurred to him.

"You talked to Tek… whatever his name is- last year, right Ems?" Nolan turned to face her.

"Eh I don't know… Japanese guy. Invested last year? Rings a bell. Why?" she asked pretending she hadn't been eavesdropping.

"Oh Daniel here was just saying one of his people arrived earlier looking for Mr. Grayson." Emily nodded. "Oh look. Janet is about to start." Daniel's head suddenly shot up.

"Oh there's that guy. I'll be back in a minute." He told them absentmindedly as he made his way over to the guy. Emily turned her attention to Janet Williams.

Victoria took to the microphone first.

"Hello everybody and welcome. I'd just like to thank you all for coming for this worthy cause. I won't bore you by talking too long. Let me just introduce one of recipients of this fine new system who is here to tell you how this initiative has changed her life. Everybody – Janet Williams." Victoria introduced, standing down as Janet hobbled up onto the stand. Some cameras flashed and people clapped as Janet took her position.

"Thank you Ms. Grayson for that lovely introduction. My name is Janet and… oh dear. I seem to have misplaced my speech." The elderly woman said looking confused as she searched through her bag. Nolan and Emily shared a panicked glance before Janet retrieved the speech.

"Ah here it is. The old memory's going so I had to write it all down. Wouldn't want to forget something, would I?" she joked straightening the speech out.

"First of all I'd just like to say that until you reach my age you won't fully appreciate…" Janet's speech continued as she thanked and told everyone how the initiative had improved her life. But Emily wasn't really listening. Her attention was focused on Victoria Grayson. Emily hadn't changed much on the speech. Just enough the Victoria would notice the difference and watching the older woman now Emily could see her speech had had the intended affect. Victoria was glancing around the room as if looking for the culprit but of course she didn't see anything.

"And to finish, on behalf of all my fellow pensioners I'd just like to thank Conrad and Victoria Grayson…"

Emily didn't hear the end of the speech. She didn't hear her glass drop from her hand shatter. She didn't hear the gasp that escaped her mouth as she stared in shock at the man who was walking towards her.

Beside him Daniel remained oblivious to the fact that Aiden had stopped listening. Because he, like Emily, was staring in shock at her.

Unlike Emily, he didn't turn around and storm away.

X

Aiden watched her go with a mixture of confusion and guilt. Confusion at seeing her there and guilt at how things had ended between them all those years ago.

Beside him he noticed Grayson was staring after Amanda – or whatever she called herself now.

"Girlfriend?" Aiden asked conversationally as he picked up a drink.

"Ex-fiancée." Daniel replied taking a sip of his own drink as he watched Nolan follow Emily. Aiden raised his eyebrows.

"Why the ex?" He asked. Daniel glanced at him as if wondering if he was to be trusted. Eventually he replied.

"I honestly don't know."

X

Nolan glanced through the door to the balcony and found the familiar blond.

"Ems?" He called coming up softly behind her. Emily wiped a tear away, unwilling to let him see her weak.

"What do you want Nolan?" she asked sounding annoyed. Nolan shoots her a mock-offended look.

"You know after all this time I thought you might actually, you know, trust me." he tells her. She crosses her arms stubbornly as she shoots him a look. "C'mon. Who am I going to tell?" he asked. Emily rubbed away a lone tear that had slipped down her face.

X

_The door slid open._

"_I owe you an apology." Aiden says slipping through the door. Emily shakes her head._

"_The only thing you owe me tonight is your absence." She sits up. "You made a fool of me."_

"_Wasn't my intention." He promises her. "But I had to win that exercise. Takeda would never have let me go if I had failed."_

"_Go where?" She asked him looking more concerned than she liked._

"_Takeda found my sister." He takes a breath, looking straight at her. "I leave tonight." Emily looks startled._

"_But you're only half way through your training." She reminds him. He shakes his head._

"_Doesn't matter. This might be my last chance… her last chance." His expression looks pained. "Look I will come back for you," His hand reaches out to touch her cheek. "I promise." He pulls away and stands up, walking over to the door. Emily made a split-second decision._

"_Aiden, wait." She said standing up. He turns to face her slowly, his face cautious._

"_I'm coming with you." she tells him but he shakes his head._

"_No. It's too dangerous." He tells her._

"_Exactly. I've already lost everything." They take a step towards each other. "I'm not losing you too." Aiden watches her for a moment as he gets closer, only hesitating slightly before his lips meet hers. His hands around her waist pull her closer to him as she wraps her hands behind his head. He pulls back._

"_Meet me in the maze at midnight." _

X

"So what's with you and Mr. Brit?" Nolan asked. She looks away from him. "Ems?"

X

_Emily's heart pounded as she entered the center of the maze, her bag in hand._

"_Aiden?" she called looking around. Startled she took a step back as her gaze fell on her mentor sitting in the corner._

"_Your lover has left you behind." Takeda tells her. Emily shakes her head. _

"_No. he wouldn't do that." she tells him. Takeda walks slowly towards her._

"_Oh but he has. The man you trusted has left you." _

_X_

Nolan stared at her, waiting for a reply. Emily looked away as other memories surfaced in her mind.

"Ems—"

"Nolan, butt out." She snaps at him. Nolan held up his hands. There was a light knock on the door. Emily didn't turn but Nolan did.

"Daniel Grayson is looking for you." Aiden told Nolan who nodded.

"Okay. I'll just go see what he wants." Nolan replied walking out the door past Aiden, nervously glancing back at his best friend.

X

"_You ignorant bastard!" Emily hissed at him as he smirked at her._

"_It's not my fault that you couldn't beat me at sparring." He argued clearly enjoying this._

"_You know I can and I have." She reminds him, her face inches from his as she looks up at him. There is tension between them as Emily realises how easy it would be for her to just raise her head and kiss him._

"_It's also not my fault that the reason you can't beat me is because you're so in love with me." he added as an after thought. Emily jumped back, her cheeks flaming. Had she been that obvious? Of course not, she scolded herself. She wasn't in love with Aiden Mathis and she hadn't been going to kiss him. _

"_Someone's conceited." She replies and he laughs._

"_So you're telling me that you weren't about to try and kiss me a minute ago?" he asks taking a step towards._

"_What? Of course not!" she fumed as he took another step towards her. His hand reached out and held her cheek._

"_Well I was." he whispers and she doesn't think about it as she wraps her arms around his neck, her tongue already in his mouth._

_X_

Emily turned to face Aiden.

"Long time no see." She welcomed him though she didn't step towards him.

"How's your mission going?" He asked taking a step towards her. She took a step back.

"As well as expected." She replied. The tension between them was sizzling as Aiden took a cautious step towards her. Emily caught her breath.

What happened next was so fast Emily wasn't sure what happened.

A moment later Aiden's hands were on her hips as he pulled her closer while Emily's hands were on either side of his face, pulling it closer to her own. They stared at each other for a long moment before Aiden bent his head hesitantly towards her. He had never been as hesitant in Japan but much had happened since and Emily was glad he didn't take her willingness for granted.

Their lips met and Emily's mouth opened, letting Aiden's tongue in. She responded hungrily, her hands behind his head now pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. Aiden pressed her back against the balcony as she pulled herself up onto the balcony wall. Her legs wrapped around Aiden's waist as his hands supported her back.

Suddenly there was a noise at the door.

"Oh sorry. I… I just…" Daniel turned to leave. Aiden glanced at Emily as she attempted to catch her breath.

"No, no. You're ok. I was just leaving." Aiden replied. He glanced at Emily before walking past Daniel and out the door.

Emily was struck by a sudden thought. It was the second time she had watched Aiden walk out the door without knowing if he'd ever walk back through it.

And she didn't like that feeling at all.

X

The pounding on the door tore Emily out of her daze. Ever since her kiss with Aiden the night before she had been caught up in old memories that she had long since tried to bury but now she had no control over the memories that came back to her.

Emily stood up from her kitchen table and walked over to the door.

"What do you want Nolan?" she asked after she had let him in.

"Morning to you too sunshine." He replied leaning against the kitchen counter. "Did Daniel find you last night?" he asked. Emily nodded. After Aiden left Daniel had tried talking to her about something but her mind had been elsewhere and she had left before Daniel could get to his point.

"Eh yeah. It was nothing." She replied pouring herself a glass of orange juice and was stunned to see her hands were shaking. _Get a grip; _she scolded herself before turning back to Nolan, a smile on her face.

"So did Janet's sons get their letters?" she asked taking a sip of her drink.

"They did and the family is now in turmoil. How did you know anyway?" he asked curious as to how his best friend had known that the man Janet had told her sons was their father had not been. Or the fact that both their fathers were different men.

"My father told me. In one of his notebooks he asked me to make sure to let her know that her secret would always stay secret as he trusted me. Turns out my father was very trusted in Grayson Global." Emily told him smiling. Nolan nodded. He turned to look at her.

"And what happened between you and Mr. Brit?" Nolan asked. Emily didn't show any wavering.

"Nothing." Nolan gave her a disbelieving look. "We used to train together with Takeda. He just wanted to know how my mission was going." She replied annoyed at having to explain herself.

"Well whatever _really _happened it's certainly enough to bring him back to your door." He commented nodding to the door. Emily turned to look and another memory surfaced.

_X_

_Emily spun around as she heard the door slide shut. A moment later Aiden's lips were on hers and she had her hands on either side of his face. Aiden pulled back._

"_How long have we got?" he asked sounding slightly breathless._

"_Takeda let me off for the day." She replied smiling at him._

"Me too." He replied putting his hands on her hips as he pushed her back against the wall. He grounds into her as her arms wrap around his neck pulling him closer as the kiss got more passionate. His hands slip under her top and up to her breasts.

_Emily pulled away for a moment and grabbed his hand as she led him to her bed. He hesitates._

"_You sure?" he asked. Emily nodded and Aiden pushed her down on the bed before leaning over her, his kisses hungry and she responded eagerly as his hands lifted her top off her completely. Emily quickly pulled his t-shirt over his head before his mouth moved to her jaw and Emily pulled Aiden's jeans off him. Aiden's hands feel her breasts his mouth comes down on hers again before his hands move down to take her pants off._

_Emily put a hand on his chest for a moment._

"_Stop." Aiden looks at her, concerned._

"_What? What's wrong?" he asks worried. Did he hurt her?_

"_Nothing's wrong. It just… there's something I need to tell you." she says looking at him. He nods uncertainly. "Um… see the thing is… I've never… I mean I haven't…"_

"_You've never slept with someone before." he clarifies and she nods biting her lip. "Does that mean you don't want to or…" he asks confused as to why this is important._

_"No I want to. I just… I don't know. I don't know if I… I can. You know. Do it. Right." She confides hating herself for feeling weak but Aiden smiles at her encouragingly. _

"_You're fine. Look we don't have to, if you don't want to." He tells her but she shakes her head._

"_Just shut up." She tells him and pulls his mouth down on hers again._

_X_

Emily looked at Nolan pointedly. He got the message. He walked over to the door, opening for Aiden.

"I guess I'll talk to you later Ems." He called before leaving through the open door. There was silence between Emily and Aiden as they stood on either side of the room.

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked him after a long pause. He takes a few slow steps towards her before stopping on the other side of the table.

"I came to talk to you." He told her, resting his hands on the back of a chair.

"Well hurry up. I'm busy." She snapped at him, unwilling to let him into her life again. She had trusted him once and he had broken that. In many ways she wanted to thank him. If he hadn't destroyed her faith in compassion then she probably wouldn't have been able to complete her mission.

She would never admit to him that she had loved him. That she had longed for his touch. For him to tell her how much he cared about her. This man had broken her heart and she refused to let him destroy her again.

X

_Aiden's mouth moved along her shoulders as he unhooked her bra. His hands move to her breasts before his mouth moves there as well. Emily moans with pleasure as he nips and sucks her tits. _

_Emily is pleased to see Aiden wearing boxers. She has always been a boxer girl. Eagerly she pulls his boxers off him and doesn't hesitate as she moves her hand down to it. This time it's Aiden who groans with pleasure as Emily brings her mouth down as well as he slips her thong off. _

_Emily pulls Aiden's mouth up to hers again and he responds. She lets out a moan as she feels him enter her. Her body is sweaty and her heart is racing as he groans with pleasure. _

_It is then she knows she loves him._

X

Emily shakes the memory away. It is true she had loved him. Or she thought she had. Of course she never told him. That would be showing weakness and weakness was one thing Emily refused to acknowledge.

Aiden stared at her and she wondered what he was thinking about. Maybe he was remembering the first and only time they slept together too? Or maybe he's thinking about how lucky he was to have gotten rid of her when he did? For some reason the thought makes Emily's chest ache.

Eventually he speaks.

"I'm leaving again tonight after I finish up some things at Grayson Global." Emily tries to hide her emotions at his statement but she can't ignore the dropping sensation in her stomach.

"So what has this got to do with me?" Emily asks, taking a step back as he rounds the table.

"I… Amanda I can't get you out of my head. Ever since last night I can't stop thinking about you and… and I want you to come with me." She raises her eyebrows at him.

"So first you leave me without any explanation. Now you show up and expect me to give up the chance I've been working towards for years, just to run away with you?" Emily gives him a short laugh. "You know it might surprise you but I've actually moved on with my life. I don't need you coming in and messing it up for me."

Aiden doesn't look surprised by her response.

"I'm sorry for leaving you. Really I am. But I had no choice. It was too dangerous for two and Takeda would never have supported me if you came too." Aiden told her.

"You didn't seem to mind defying Takeda the night before." She points out and Aiden looks at the ground. All she feels now is confusion as she remembers the morning after.

X

_He was staring at her. She knew it though she continued to pretend to be sleeping. Thinking back now she realised maybe he had known she was awake after all._

_His hand reached out and moved a piece of her hair behind her. Emily kept her breathing low and even, even though her heart was speeding up._

"_I love you." he whispered so low Emily wasn't sure if she heard him right. "I promise I won't let anyone ever hurt you." he had promised. _

_At the time Emily hadn't understood. For years afterwards she hadn't understood. Now she did._

_X_

"Look I know I shouldn't have said you could come and then leave but there's nothing I can do to change that now. Haven't you ever done something you know you shouldn't have but you know it's for the best?" He asked her and for a moment Emily was sure he knew. A moment later as he stared at her she realised he didn't know but it didn't mean he wasn't right. She got it.

"Even if I did want to go with you, and I'm not saying I do, I can't just leave. I swore I'd avenge my father's death and I won't stop until I do." She tells him. He is now just a few steps from her.

"And when does it end? You can keep going and get revenge on everyone who has ever wronged you but how does it end? I tried to avenge my sister after… when I was too late. I tried but in the end I realised there were too many people who I could make suffer and for what? To make me feel better? Nothing I did would have brought her back just as nothing you do is going to change what they did to your father."

He looks around. "Look my flight is at ten tonight. Think about it. If you don't show…I get the message." He bends his head and his lips brush against hers before he walks out the door for what could have been the last time.

X

"Haven't you ever done something you know you shouldn't have but you know it's for the best?" Aiden's words echo through her mind as she thinks back to a time when she almost understood his words.

_Emily's hands shook as she sobbed. She hadn't shown weakness in the past two months since Aiden had abandoned her but now she can't hold back the sobs that rack her body. _

_When she first found out she had taken Takeda's advice. She used Aiden's betrayal to help her lose her compassion but now she still wondered if maybe… no. she couldn't let herself wonder or she'd lose her meaning. _

_Shakily Emily gets out of the car. She had finished her training and now she was glad. She couldn't imagine trying to tell Takeda why she had to come here. _

_She glances around as if to check no one is watching her and walks into the clinic. Her palms are sweating and Emily nervously rubs them on her jeans._

It's for the best, _she thinks to herself as she walks up to the reception._

"_Amanda Clarke." She tells the receptionist who looks up at her. Does she recognise the name? Does she know what her father did? Or what everyone thinks he did anyway…_

_But her face shows no recognition as she checks her computer._

"_Amanda Clarke, a half twelve appointment for Dr. Richards?" She clarifies and Emily nods. "If you could just wait in the waiting area, Dr. Richards is running a little later and will call you in when he's ready." Emily nodded and shakily takes a seat in the waiting area. _

_Absentmindedly her hand rubs her stomach. She feels a layer of heavy guilt settle on her but she tries to shake it away._

"_I'm sorry. I really am." She mummers apparently to no one. "But what other choice do I have?" she adds rubbing her stomach. There is no bump as of yet but Emily can imagine the little heart beat, pounding in her stomach. The little fingers and toes. Arms and legs. _

_Suddenly she stands up. She can't do it. She can't go through with this. She rushes up to the reception desk._

"_Cancel my appointment please." She tells the woman._

_"Would you like to reschedule?" she asks._

"_No. that's okay." she replied rushing out the door. Once she was outside she stopped and breathed in the cold air. She takes a seat on the bench. What has she just done? She can't care for a baby… _

X

The memory and those that followed haunted Emily and she couldn't get them out of her mind as she drove to the house she knew so well. She didn't knock as she opened the doors to the "Glass House" as she had become accustomed to calling it.

"Ah what brings you to my humble home stranger?" Nolan asks coming down the stairs. Emily turns to face him and when Nolan sees her face her rushes forwards, reaching her just in time to wrap his arms around her as she breaks down sobbing. For once she didn't feel weak for crying in front of someone. She realised in years that had passed since Japan she had been holding so much in, so many emotions she was too afraid to show, because showing them made them real.

Nolan held Emily as she sobbed into his chest and he felt slightly guilty to be happy at seeing her like this. At least it proved she wasn't a machine. She really was human.

When she was finished crying Emily told Nolan everything from what happened in Japan to seeing Aiden again but she left out the pregnancy. It seemed too personal. She had never told anyone and she wasn't planning on. As she recalled the story Nolan listened and one thing quickly became clear.

"You still love him." Emily didn't argue. She had come to that conclusion on her own. "Do you want to go?" He asked. Emily didn't reply. She was torn. Part of her thought "He hurt her once why should she give up everything for him?" but another part of her said "She lost him once she couldn't do it again"

She didn't know which side was more dominant.

"Ems you know he has got a point. Where do you draw the line?" he asks. She looks at the ground.

"I've come so far though. I can't just give up now." She tells him.

"How about you just shorten the plan and reveal all before tonight. Then you get the best of both worlds." He tells her but she shakes her head.

"I have to go. I'll talk to you again soon Nolan." She told him. Nolan sighed as he watched her go, fearing she would be seeing him soon. And most likely tomorrow.

X

Aiden waited at the gate, glancing around one last time. With a sinking feeling he realised she wasn't coming. At first he hadn't expected her to but then after talking to her yesterday he thought there was chance. Now as the attendants ushered him towards the plane he was forced to admit he had been wrong. Amanda wasn't coming.

He knew he had been wrong to leave her in Japan in the first place but he couldn't tell her where he had been going. His father was with his sister and Aiden knew if he met them then he wouldn't leave and Emily wouldn't have been able to complete her own mission.

But he had arrived too late to save his sister but his father and he now had a better relationship.

X

"_You know sometimes I think your sister might have had a better chance if her mother had ever cared about her." Dominick commented._

"_Did she ever care about me?" Aiden asks his father. Dominick looks at him._

_"Your sister's mother… she was very self obsessed. Drugs and drink were her only loves. Your mother on the other hand… well I loved her. And I think she felt something for me. But I do know that giving you up was one of the hardest decisions she ever made." He promises. Aiden looked away._

"_What's her name?" Aiden asked hoping for any connection to his mother._

"_She goes by a different name nowadays but when I knew her… her name was Vicky Harper."_

_X_

Sadly he turned to plane and found his seat, settling in as he looked out the window.

"Sorry… is this seat taken?" Aiden turned. It was Emily.

"You came!" he cried as she took the seat beside him.

X

Nolan smiled as he read the letter Emily had left him, glancing around at the beach house that was now his. He grinned to himself as he turned on the TV and as expected saw Mason Treadwell.

"… In a shocking statement today author Mason Treadwell has revealed a huge cover-up in the infamous company Grayson Global. Mr. Treadwell said he has evidence and witness reports that prove that convicted terrorist David Clarke was not in fact responsible for the downing of flight 197…" Nolan grinned. His best friend really knew how to tie up loose ends.

He turned back to letter.

_I don't know when I'll see you again but I promise I will. _

_Emily_

_P.S. Thanks._

_X_

"So what's the plan?" Emily asks Aiden who looks at her with a grin.

"What plan?"

**Wow. That's really long. Okay so originally I planned this to be a one-shot but now I'm thinking a chaptered fic going on with Aiden and Emily continuing their lives together and the fallout from Mason's revelation! Let me know what you think as well as leaving a comment about Aiden's mom! And Emily was pregnant! Yikes!**

**So please review!**


	2. Choices

**Okay so a lot of this chapter focuses on Victoria and her relationships but don't worry there is still Emily and Aiden! And Emily is jealous! And Nolan is still featuring so no worries there! Read on to find out what our fav characters are up to!**

**Chapter 2**

Victoria stared down at the beach house from her balcony. Ever since Emily Thorne had left, things had gone from bad to worse. First Mason Treadwell had told national news that Grayson Global, not David Clarke, had been responsible for the downing of flight 197. Then Charlotte had decided she was going to move in with that boy from Montauk. Now she was faced with another thing she wasn't ready to deal with.

"Hello?" she answered her voice warm and encouraging.

"Hello Vicky." Victoria almost dropped the phone.

"Dominick?" she asked. She had not heard from him since Conrad had paid him to leave. She didn't even think about how he had gotten her number.

"It's me."

"Where are you?" she asked already planning an intimate meeting in her mind. But Dominick's next words shocked her.

"Vic I met him." Victoria froze, knowing immediately who her former lover was referring to.

"Y-you met him? How? Where?" she asked. Dominick was silent for a moment.

"Look we need to talk. Can you meet me?" He asked and Victoria didn't even think.

"Of course. Where? When?"

"Same place as last time." Dominick hung up. It was only then Victoria realised what she had just done. She couldn't meet Dominick. She couldn't face him, not now. But something nagged at her mind, a curiosity about the son she had abandoned. What was he like? What does he do? Questions ran rampant through her mind but she shook them away. How could she look him in the eye knowing he had spoken to him? The baby she had barely held before her mother had forced her to give him away.

X

_A shrill cry filled the room as the doctor held up the baby._

"_It's a boy." He told her and she smiled as she settled back against the pillows. Dominick grinned at her and she was filled with dread, knowing he would have so little time with his son. In the corner her mother Sheila stood nodding at Victoria. Victoria nodded back shakily as the doctor handed her the little baby. _

_The thought of what she had to do broke her heart as she stared at the tiny boy whose bright blue eyes blinked up at her. His body felt so small and fragile. Victoria sniffled. She turned and handed the baby to Dominick who looked so happy Victoria had to look away._

"_What do you think for a name?" the nurse asked. Dominick glanced at Victoria who stared at her mother. Giving the baby a name would mean creating an attachment but Victoria felt this little baby needed something from her._

"_I like the name Aiden." She commented and Dominick nodded._

"_Me too." _

_Later when Dominick had gone to get some sleep Sheila came over to Victoria who was holding the baby, unable to imagine having to give him away._

"_It's time." Her mother said but Victoria shook her head._

"_No. I thought it would be easy but… I can't. I can't give him up." Sheila held out her arms._

_"You must. Conrad Grayson is very interested in you but I can hardly see him being willing to look after your kid. Now hand him over. What sort of future could you offer him anyway?"  
_

_Hours later when Dominick returned, Sheila and baby Aiden were gone._

X

Victoria shook her head. She couldn't let herself fall back into the memories. It would only make her wonder about what ifs and none of them would change what had happened. No she had given up her baby. She had no right over him now.

Conrad came to stand beside her.

"The police will be here again in the morning probably with more evidence to convict us." He told her. Victoria focused on the beach house again. Inside there was a light on and she could see that strange man Nolan Ross inside, eating with his secretary.

"Do they have enough?" She asked, turning to face her husband. In the dim night light Conrad's face looked old and worn and his wrinkles were starting to show. He had his usual suit on but his shirt was untucked and the top buttons were undone.

"I don't know. Who knows what dirt they can dig up on us?" he replied casting a dark look out across the beach. "We've made a lot of enemies over the years Victoria and I guessing if they sense we're weakening they won't hesitate to come forward. A lot of those we paid to testify have lost everything since and even they would be more than willing to talk." He looks at her. "This may be it for us."

Victoria looked down at the beach house again, something in her gut was telling her there was a lot more to Emily Thorne's disappearance than a job offer as Nolan Ross had told Charlotte. The girl was almost as rich as Grayson Global and there was no way she needed to work.

Also her disappearance the very same night as Treadwell's revelation just over a week ago seemed suspicious.

Of course Charlotte missed her and Daniel was still pining after her but when Victoria had heard of Miss Thorne's "job offer" she had been more than pleased. At least she didn't have to worry about her trying to take her son away from her any more.

"Conrad… Emily Thorne. Have you ever wondered whether it was more than just a coincidence that she left the very same day as Treadwell decided to out us? It seems strange to me." Victoria admitted and Conrad's brow furrowed.

"I never thought about it really. But what other reason could there be? It's not like she could have known about David Clarke." He pointed out. Victoria nodded.

"Of course. Just trying to narrow things down." She replied. Conrad nodded. He put a hand on hers.

"We'll figure this out. I promise." He told her. She smiled and he walked away.

Victoria continued to stare at the house she had visited very often. She hadn't trusted Emily from the moment she met her and now with her sudden disappearance Victoria began to realise maybe she had been right about her all along.

She picked up her phone, dialling the number she already knew so well.

"Hello?" Jamie answered.

"Jamie it's Victoria. I need you to track down somebody for me." she tells him. Though she doesn't trust him as much as Frank she knows he is loyal.

"Okay. What's the name?"

"Thorne. Emily Thorne."

X

The three new recruits stood in front of Emily and she had to admit they had potential.

The first of the two guys who Takeda introduced as Thomas looked over six foot tall and very handsome. His muscles bulged beneath his t-shirt and he shot Emily a charming look but she crossed her arms trying to show she wasn't interested.

The second guy, named Manuel was the same height, his tanned Spanish features making him even hotter. He wasn't as muscled as Thomas but he looked just as strong.

Emily didn't like the girl at all. Cassie was petit with pale skin and wild red curls. Her eyes were dark and Emily didn't like the way they kept looking at Aiden.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

X

_Emily took a breath as they entered the building she knew so well._

"_Just remember Takeda doesn't like intimate relationships now anymore than he did last time so he can't know we're together." Aiden reminds her. She nods. Takeda had often seen romantic relationships a weakness that enemies could exploit. _

_When Emily came face to face with Satoshi Takeda he repeated what Aiden had said. Emily told him what she knew he wanted to hear and then he told them of their job._

"_I have decided to help others the way I helped you. So we shall start training others for mission such as yours and if I need a job down then you are the ones who will do it." He spoke very clearly as he showed them to the rooms they had inhabited all those years ago._

"_The trainees will be arriving in an hour so get settled quickly."_

X

"Welcome. Before we start your training, Aiden and Emily here will demonstrate what you'll be able to do once we're finished." He nodded at Emily and Aiden and they turned to face each other.

There was a small smile on Aiden's face as if he was looking forward to this and Emily was pretty sure he was. They bowed towards each other before Aiden started by throwing a punch her way. Emily grabbed his fist and flipped him over but he landed on his feet.

His hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder and she tried to twist away but he caught her and pinned her hand to her shoulder blade. Emily threw her head back and head- butted him as he stumbled back.

Emily moved quickly towards him and tried to pin him against the wall but he slipped beneath her arm and managed to pin her instead. She raised her knee but Aiden dodged and Emily slipped her head beneath his arm, in turn switching positions with him. She twisted his hand behind his back and he was stuck.

Cassie, Thomas and Manuel all clapped and Emily released Aiden.

"Better luck next time." She says and he smirks.

"I had to let you win. You would have killed me for showing you up. Or you would have tried." He adds and she glares at him but he just laughs. They turn to face the recruits again.

"Now it is time to begin your training. Cassandra-"

"Cassie." She interrupted. Emily bit back a laugh at Takeda's face.

"Cassandra you shall train with Emily. Thomas you shall train with Aiden and Manuel you will train with me. All of you will train with each of us but for now lets start like this." Emily nods as Cassie takes a step towards her.

Emily smiled. She was going to enjoy this.

X

Daniel was pissed off. No he was _really _pissed off.

First that author Treadwell outed his family as terrorists. Then his ex-fiancée skips town. Now Nolan Ross was being very unhelpful.

"Nolan, I know you know where she is and I know she has something to do with my parents being under investigation. So tell me. Where is Emily?" he demanded but Nolan shrugged.

"I don't know! She didn't give any details." Nolan lied. He had gotten a call from her a week ago as they prepared to board their second plane. He knew where she was heading. Whether or not the plan had changed since then Nolan didn't know.

Daniel shoots him a look.

"Nolan don't give me that crap. She was like your best friend. Surely she told you something. What did she know about David Clarke?" Daniel demanded but Nolan shook his head.

"I honestly don't know. All she told me was that she was heading off somewhere for a job with some guy." Nolan told him only half lying this time. He knew she was going working for Takeda, he knew where and he knew who the guy was. But Daniel didn't need to.

"Some guy?" Daniel asked sounding more jealous than angry. A memory popped into his mind.

X

_Daniel walked away from Nolan. He needed to talk to Emily and Nolan had said she was up on the balcony. _

_As he made his way up he found he was nervous. Why would he be so nervous? All he had to do was tell her he still loved her and then hopefully she'd say the same. Easy, right? _

_As he reached the balcony he heard voices inside._

"_As well as expected." Emily's voice spoke and Daniel paused. Who was she talking to? He waited another moment hearing very little except people moving. When he looked around the door he was shocked._

_Emily was there with Takeda's proxy Mathis. That wasn't the shocking part. The shocking part was the Emily was sitting up on the balcony, her arms wrapped around Mathis's neck while his hands supported her back. The worst part was her tongue was in his mouth. _

"_Oh sorry. I… I just…" Daniel turned to leave. Mathis glanced at Emily as she attempted to catch her breath._

"_No, no. You're ok. I was just leaving." Mathis replied. He glanced at Emily before walking past Daniel and out the door. Daniel was more hurt than shocked._

_Emily had never kissed him passionately like that. She had always acted very carefully around him. She had never kissed him like that or never looked at him as she was now staring at the door where Mathis had just disappeared. _

_She had never loved him like that._

X

"Thanks Nolan." Daniel replied now having a very certain feeling he knew where to find Emily.

"For what?" Nolan asked as Daniel walked away but he didn't reply. Daniel whipped out his phone.

"Hey Ashley. Book me a flight for Japan. For tonight."

X

Victoria held the phone cautiously at arms length as if that would stop her from making the call. She hadn't heard back from Jamie yet but that was generally a good thing. It meant he had something to work with. That wasn't the present issue. No her present difficulty was trying to call Dominick to cancel the meeting without asking for another meeting as she knew she would, given a chance.

She took a steady breath as she dialled the number. The phone rang three times before Dominick answered.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Dominick? It's Victoria." Dominick was silent for a moment.

"You aren't coming, are you?" He asked and she took a breath for a moment.

"No. I can't make it today I'm afraid." She told him but she paused for a second considering what she was about to ask. "I was wondering… if you could tell me some things about him. You know. Just little things." She asked nervously. Dominick was silent on the other end.

"He wants to meet you. Has done for the past three years." He tells her and she closes her eyes trying to close out the emotions that rush towards her.

"Please Dominick. What's he like?" she asks glancing around but Conrad was the only one in the house and she could see him in his study on the phone, probably arguing with his lawyer.

"Vic… he's great. He really is. He's tall. Handsome. He's manipulative, a trait I'm sure he didn't pick up from me. He's good at martial arts. He… he's got a girlfriend." He tells her and she tries to imagine him in her mind.

"What about his adopted family? What were they like?" she asks, her eyes closed as she tries to picture him more definitely. Dominick pauses for a moment.

"He was never adopted. He was raised in British care homes. Passed from foster family to foster family." He tells her eventually and Victoria is suddenly furious with her mother. She had promised she had a loving family ready and waiting. How could she have cared so little for her only grandchild? At the time anyway.

Victoria takes a breath. She can't let these little things get to her.

"What about his girlfriend?" she asks hoping for some good news.

"Haven't met her but the way he talks about her… she sounds great. He's really happy with her. Says she's gorgeous. Met her a few years ago but they split up but they're back together again now." He tells her. He sighs already knowing this conversation won't end with another meeting.

"That… that's great." She replies glad that he has some happiness in his life.

"So how about you meet him?" Dominick asks. Ever since Aiden had asked about his mother and Dominick had promised to find her for him, Dominick had been trying hard to track her down. Surely she couldn't say no to meeting her son.

"I… I don't think that would be a good idea. He doesn't need to know me." Dominick was about to argue when Victoria hung up. He sighed slamming the phone down.

Victoria leaned over the balcony as tears slipped through her lids. She cursed her mother. She had sworn she had a better life planned out for him. That he would be cared for the way Victoria would never be able to. Of course she loved Daniel and Charlotte and without losing Aiden she would never have had them but her mother had broken the one promise Victoria had begged her make.

X

The five of them entered the kitchen as Takeda's chefs handed laid out meals. Emily chose a random one. It was Sheppard's pie. She picked up a drink and walked out of the kitchen, catching Aiden's eye as she went.

She was just out when an arm grabbed her elbow.

"Cassie we're finished for the day." She told the younger girl. Cassie glanced behind her.

"Oh I know. I just wanted to ask you something." Cassie replied, still looking behind her.

"Well I'm in a hurry so spill." Emily demanded, starting walking towards her room.

"See I know there are rules against romantic relationships here and all but I was wondering…" Cassie trailed off. "I was wondering if Aiden has a girlfriend." She asked. Emily struggled to keep her face neutral.

"How would I know? And anyway you should be focusing more on your training and less on your instructors." Emily snapped, sounding harsher than she intended but Cassie backed off so Emily didn't feel too bad about it. She made her way to her room feeling vindicated. She had known there was a reason she shouldn't like Cassie. She knew Aiden loved her and everything but for some reason she still felt jealous.

She ate her dinner in her room, leaving the plate outside her door when she was finished. Someone would come and collect it soon enough.

She found her toiletries bag and took it to the bathroom with her. When she returned she found Aiden sitting on her bed.

"You've got an admirer." She tells him. He looks confused.

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"Cassie. Came up to me at dinner asking if you had a girlfriend." She tells him. He raises his eyebrows.

"Really? And what did you say?" he asks, looking up at her as she came to stand in front of him.

"I said I wouldn't know." she tells him. He laughs and pulls her down towards him.

"Well I hope you know. Anyway she ain't got nothing on you." she grins as she lies over him. She brings her mouth down on his, Cassie already forgotten.

X

Victoria paced her bedroom. Daniel had left for some mysterious trip an hour ago and Conrad was still in his study. Memories of her conversation with Dominick played through her mind and she couldn't shake her mental image of Aiden.

It had been almost thirty years and she couldn't shake the memory of Aiden's face as her mother had taken him away.

X

_Victoria didn't move as her mother bent down and picked Aiden up from her arms. _

"_It's for the best Victoria. Trust me." Her mother told her. Then she wrapped him in a blanket and made her way out of the room._

_Victoria's last memory of her first-born son was a flicker of his face as her mother left. She may have imagined it and probably had but in that split second she imagined she saw hurt and pain in her young son's eyes. Like he knew what she was doing. _

X

Victoria shook the memory away. He had been a few hours old. Of course he hadn't known what she was doing. But it still haunted her.

Her phone beeped and Victoria looked at it. It was a message from Dominick.

_You left him once. Don't do it again. _The message read. Victoria's hands shook as she picked up the phone.

No. she threw the phone back on the bed and kept pacing. The urge to call Dominick back was so strong she almost reached for the phone but she resisted, the baby's accusing eyes burned into her mind. How could he want to meet a woman who had given him away? Surely he must hate her for the life he had been forced into. He could have had a loving family. He could have had a better life. Surely he wouldn't want anything to do with the woman who had taken that all away from him.

Victoria edged closer to the bed, her hand itching towards the phone.

"No." she whispered to herself. But it was a futile attempt. She paused before picking up the call thinking back to Dominick's message. If she arranged to meet him then she couldn't back out.

With shaking hands she picked up the phone and dialled Dominick's number.

X

"Conrad?" Conrad's head lifted at the sound of his wife's voice. A moment later she appeared in the doorway.

"Yes?" he asked looking at her grim face.

"I'm heading to the city tomorrow to talk to my lawyer."

**Okay so that's that chap! What do ye think? Yay or nay? I'll leave a few spoilers below for the next chap! I know there weren't as many flashbacks in this chap but I'm hoping to have more in the next chap. Thanks for reading.**

_**Next time**_

_Aiden meets his mother. How will he react?_

_Emily has a visitor. What does he want?_

_How will Victoria feel after meeting her son?_

**Don't forget to review! No reviews no update!**


	3. Long Time No See

**Okay I've just realised a mistake I made that interferes with the story so let me just edit it here. I know they're supposed to be training in Japan but for Aiden to meet Victoria it involves too much flying and stuff so they're training now on the edge of New York instead. This chap is mostly from Aiden's point of view so I hope you enjoy and please review!**

**Chapter 3**

From his position on the bed Aiden could see his phone flashing, an incoming call. Looking down at Emily sleeping under his arm he smiled before slipping out of the bed and grabbing his phone. He raced into the bathroom before answering.

"Hello?" he asked, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Aiden. It's me." Dominick's voice replied on the other end. Aiden perked up slightly.

"Hey. What's up?" he asked, glancing at his watch. It was seven o'clock and far too early for a social call. Besides he had spoken to his father just a few days ago. Glancing into the bedroom he could see Emily stirring but turned his attention to the call.

"How are things?" Dominick asked trying to sound light-hearted. Aiden didn't buy it. He may not have known his dad long but he knew him well enough to know when he was stalling.

"What is it?" he asked as Emily sat up in the bed, her blonde hair a mess as she yawned.

"You still want to meet your mom?" he asks and suddenly he has Aiden's full attention. His mother? He had wanted to know her, to meet her, ever since he was little but since meeting his father he began to wonder what sort of woman she was.

Growing up he had always thought her cold hearted. Sinister. Selfish. Maybe poor.

He wasn't sure where the image came from but when he was little he always imagined a small, blonde woman with dark roots who lived in a rundown apartment with a sick mother or something. Maybe he just wanted to think that she had thought she was giving him a better life. Probably he was just hoping she was trying to sort her life out before coming to find him.

As he got older he stopped thinking of her as a poor, unfortunate person and he began to realise not everyone got their happy ever after. Soon his image of what his mother probably was turned nastier. A tall woman, blonde (he wasn't sure where the blonde came into it. It was just always the colour of hair he imagined his mother having) who was living a life of luxury, not giving him a second thought since handing him over to the services who had made his life hell.

For some reason he had never tried to picture his father. Maybe his subconscious had figured he had been a drop out. Figured he must have run when his mother got pregnant. Even as he got older and his image of his mother changed, the image of his father stayed the same. A chancer, living off luck and never knowing where the next meal was coming from.

Despite his lack of parenting and lack of homes growing up Aiden thought he had turned out pretty well. Sure he had run away from a lot of foster homes and hadn't ever really connected with any of his foster parents or foster siblings. Not that he had ever given any of them much of a chance.

Every time he met a new foster parent he would see an excited couple, usually older with a few grown up children, who looked forward to trying to raise another child. Within a week that excitement usually faded and turned into despair as they realised he was a lost cause. Some were softer, gentler towards him, obviously wanting to give him the best life they could. But he knew he was no good. He didn't want these people pretending to be his parents when even his real parents didn't want him.

Others took a stricter approach towards him, laying down the rules the moment they met him but Aiden hadn't cared because he never listened anyway. They would shout and scream at him trying to make him see the wrong in his ways but it was a futile attempt.

Usually each of the foster homes would give up within about three months if he hadn't already run away. But there was one home that Aiden could remember better than most because they had refused to give up. He couldn't remember their names or even their jobs but he knew the father was quite laid back, trying to joke with him and have a laugh while the mother was stricter.

With this family it quickly became clear they would find a way to excuse any misbehaviour and find a solution. It became Aiden's mission to find a way to upset them. To make them lose faith in him. So many others had so why wouldn't they?

He managed of course and he could see the look of despair in his social workers eyes when he came to pick him up again. Aiden was fifteen then and it had been his seventh foster home. He was never fostered again.

Despite all that, meeting Takeda was what really changed him. Takeda agreed to train him and help him track down his family and Aiden quickly discovered that his half-sister was in trouble. Then he met Emily. And he fell in love. And just when things were going well for them Takeda found his sister and Aiden was forced to say goodbye to the two people who had saved him from a life of bitterness. But things had worked out for the best and now things were better than before.

"Of course I do." He replied now to Dominick who sighed on the other end.

"Well I've found her. And she wants to meet you too. Can you come over to mine today? Say two?" he asked. Aiden was stunned. His mother? His dad had found her. She wanted to meet him. Then he realised Dominick was waiting for an answer.

"Eh I think so. See you then."

X

Aiden nodded as Takeda walked away, relieved his master had agreed. Knocking on Thomas's door he noticed Emily waiting for him at one of the balcony tables. He motioned to her that he would just be a minute as Thomas's door swung open.

"Uh what time is it?" Thomas asked dressed only in boxers.

"Half seven. We start training in half an hour. Up, eat light and be in the dojo for eight on the dot." Aiden left with Thomas staring after him sullenly before slamming the door. Aiden grinned as he sat down by Emily, his plate already ready.

"What was that all about? He looked fit to strangle you." she laughed. He grinned at her.

"I told him we start training in half an hour and he was less than impressed." He replied picking at a bit of fruit.

"Half an hour? What about your run?" she asked and he shrugged.

"I have to go into the city later. Takeda agreed if I got my training done in time." Emily's brow furrowed.

"Why'd you have to go to the city?" she asked taking a bite of toast.

"Have to pick up something. Anyway… how's your training with Cassie going?" he asked. He wasn't sure why he didn't tell her the truth but something about telling her he was going to see his long lost mother seemed strange. Like she might not like it. Her own mother had disappeared years ago and if caught out he would say he was afraid to bring up painful memories but he knew that wasn't the reason. He just wasn't positive what the reason was.

He noticed Thomas stalking out of his room out of the corner of his eye but he paid no attention. In the yard below them they could see Takeda warming up, casting accusing glances up at them from time to time.

They couldn't even act like a real couple having a nice breakfast together. They couldn't hold hands or kiss in public. They even had to be careful what they were saying in front of others. If anyone came up to them they would have to pretend to be comparing training methods.

Still as they laughed and joked together and their knees bumped Aiden felt as if he was finally getting some time with his girlfriend.

X

Emily's hand twisted around Cassie's arm easily and flipped her, knocking the wind out of her as she landed on her back. Cassie moaned as she held out a hand for Emily to help her up but Emily pretended not to see it, instead letting the other girl get up by herself.

Cassie flexed her arm as she reached for a bottle of water as Emily took a sip of her own.

"Is that us for the day?" Cassie asked trying to sound enthusiastic but Emily got sense an underlying need for her to say yes.

"Sure. Practise that flip I showed you on those mannequins Takeda gave ye." Cassie nodded, wincing as she hobbled inside. Emily loved the feel of the sun on her face as she stared around at the deserted court. Her black, sleeveless Lycra top clung to her sweaty body as did her tight, very short shorts. Her runners felt bouncy beneath her feet. Rubbing her hair back with her hand Emily could feel the dampness from the sweat and was eagerly anticipating the cold shower that awaited her inside.

But now, while she was alone, she couldn't wait to try out her new kick boxing moves on one of Takeda's new bounce back mannequins.

As she practised her mind wandered towards the Hamptons wondering what was happening there. Had the Grayson's been arrested yet? How was Charlotte coping? How were Jack and Amanda coping with the little guy? She couldn't wait to talk to Nolan after her shower about it.

Now as she trained she felt strong and independent, kicking the mannequin back every time he popped up again. After one particularly strong lick Emily took a deep breath and she saw someone watching her from the doorway.

"Well I've never seen you do that." Daniel commented. And with that all her strength seeped out of her body.

X

Aiden's heart pounded in his chest as he bounded up the stairs up to his father's apartment. Scenarios played out through his mind. His mother taking on look at him and… what? What would she do? Would she leave? Would she hug him? Would she just stand there? What would he do in any of these situations? What if she left? How would he ever get over that?

All these questions swam through his mind as he knocked on Dominick's door.

Dominick opened the door, letting him in before turning back to the kitchen. Aiden closed the door behind him, glancing around the one room apartment. Clearly she wasn't here yet.

And as two o'clock came and went and the time neared three o' clock Aiden began to wonder if she was coming at all.

X

Victoria stared out the window of her taxi, watching the tall buildings that whizzed by, her mind elsewhere. Her flight had been delayed but when she landed and saw the time she found herself stopping from calling Dominick. If she called and told him about the plane being delayed then she would have no option but to go. This way she still had a way out.

Glancing at her watch she realised the time. It was five to three. As the car pulled up she jumped out of the car, pushing a bill at the cab driver before rushing into the building.

As she reached Dominick's apartment she paused hearing raised voices in side.

"…time." Dominick's voice finished. There was a short pause.

"Look she's not coming." A strangely familiar voice replied. Victoria could feel her heart break as she heard the sadness in his voice.

"Maybe she's just stuck in traffic?" Dominick suggested.

"Then why hasn't she called? Face it Dad. She never cared about me." there was silence and Victoria felt a tear slip down her face. She turned to leave but paused when Dominick spoke again.

"You're wrong." He replied and Victoria felt a wave of emotion for him. Despite the fact she had taken his son away from him he still defended her. Her hand reached out to knock on the door but again she stopped this time when Aiden spoke.

"Oh yeah? So where is she now? Why hasn't she called?" Dominick didn't reply. "I've got to go." Victoria turned to leave but Aiden opened the door before she could. Looking at him she realised why his face was so familiar. He worked for Takeda. He had been right under her nose and she had never known it.

Aiden was stunned as he starred at his mother. She was the infamous Victoria Grayson. The woman Emily hated.

Before either of them could speak Dominick popped his head out.

"Ah you're here. Told you she was coming." He told Aiden who was still too shocked to reply. "Well come on. Come in." he continued pulling Aiden back into the room as Victoria followed.

"Hello." She said eventually but Aiden was starring at the floor, his head in his hands. Victoria sat straight on her seat.

Aiden looked at her for a long moment and Victoria suddenly felt self conscious. Would he judge her for her past mistakes? Why was he looking at her like he felt guilty?

"I can't do this." He replied standing up and Victoria stood too as Dominick brought over three cups of coffee.

"Please. I just want a chance to talk." Victoria begged grabbing his arm instinctively. Aiden looked down at her hand and she quickly got the message, pulling it back.

"To talk about what? The fact you abandoned me as a baby? Or the way you went on to have the perfect family? Huh?" he asked and she winced. If he hadn't worked for Takeda, if he had never come to the Hamptons, she realised, she might have had a chance to explain herself but he had seen her with her family. And she had never even known it was him.

There was nothing she could do to stop him turning his back on her and storming out the door.

X

Emily leaned against the table as she sized Daniel up. He was dressed in his usual suit and his face was serious. He had said Takeda had let him up but why Emily had no idea.

"Why are you here Daniel?" Emily asked, fiddling with her bottle of water. He stared at her for a moment.

"Why'd you leave?" he asked and she looked at him, a pitying look on her face that just annoyed Daniel.

"I got a job." She replied simply, gesturing around her. Daniel followed her gaze and looked around him.

"I never figured you for a karate kind of girl." He commented and she raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't exactly make it public knowledge." She replied coolly. Daniel's face looked hurt and Emily scolded herself for feeling guilty. Ever since Aiden had come back into her life, her compassion had returned and she didn't like it. Not one bit.

"I thought we shared things the public never knew." He replied staring her in the eye. She cocked her head to the side.

"And I thought you didn't want to be a Grayson. Looks like we were both wrong." She replied, shrugging. She had used her official line but she knew she hadn't split from Daniel because he was becoming a Grayson. She split with him because he wasn't Aiden.

Of course in her mind at the time she had convinced herself it was the first but in the week she had spent with Aiden all her old feelings came rushing back and she knew now that it had in fact been the latter.

Daniel studies her for a moment.

"You're different. You've changed." He decides. She gives him a wry smile.

"I haven't changed. Maybe you just didn't know me as well as you thought you did." She replied taking a sip of water from her bottle. Daniel looked hurt once again but now Emily stopped caring. "Look Daniel I'm sorry about how things ended alright? I wish things could have worked out for us but I guess it just wasn't to be." She told him and he nodded.

He turned to leave but then he paused.

"What do you know about David Clarke?" he asked his eyes watching her reaction. She raised her eyebrows.

"Other than the fact that your dad framed him for a crime he didn't commit?" she asked and his eyes bulged.

"It was you, wasn't it? You told Treadwell!" he exclaimed but she shook her head smiling. She lifted the remote which was lying on the table and switched on the table. Sure enough there was another story about the David Clarke Cover-up as it was being called.

"Oh." Daniel replied. Emily gave him an expectant look. "Sorry." He replied. He turned to walk away again but once again he stopped.

"What's between you and Mathis?" he asked. Was it just him or was she glancing around as if thinking she was being watched.

"I don't know what you mean." She replied easily and he laughed.

"Guess I didn't expect a proper answer." He replied and once again he turned to leave. Emily breathed a sigh of relief but held in a groan when he turned again.

"Did you ever love me?" he asked, watching her face for reaction. She stared back at him.

"Of course I did. But it's in the past now Daniel. You ought to let it go." She advises him and he turns once again. This time she is relieved when he actually does leave. She sits down on her bed, groaning. She checks her watch. It's just past five o'clock. Aiden should be back by now.

A slight sense of worry makes her back tense as she hops off the bed, walking out of the room. If he had arrived back, why hadn't he come to see her? If he hadn't come back then where was he?

Emily found her answer quickly.

She had just entered the court yard to ask Takeda when she found Aiden. He was training with Takeda and Emily leaned against the doorway, watching them spar.

Aiden was a fast learner and quicker on his feet than Takeda but Takeda had a lot more experience. All in all they were pretty evenly matched.

Neither man noticed Emily's presence and she stood there watching for another ten minutes before finally Takeda overpowered Aiden before bowing and leaving. Aiden turned and saw her. When she saw his face she knew something was wrong. But what she couldn't tell.

"Hey. I was wondering where you'd got to." She replied walking towards him.

"Yeah I got back about half an hour ago." He replied taking a drink of water. Her brow furrowed.

"How come you didn't come find me?" she asked slightly worried.

"I did. You were busy." He replies curtly and now Emily understands his mood. He must have arrived and seen her with Daniel. Before she could say anything he continued. "So what did Grayson want?" He asked, grabbing a towel.

"Answers." She replied simply as they walked out of the yard.

"What about?" he asked not looking at her.

"Me leaving. What I know about Conrad and my dad." For some reason she found herself hesitating before finally deciding not to tell him about Daniel asking if she ever loved him. However this turned out to be the wrong choice.

"And whether you ever loved him?" he asks and she turns to face him.

"Yeah. Might have come up. Doesn't matter though because I made it clear there was most certainly no future for us." She informed him and he nodded as if he'd already guessed this but Emily noticed his mood cheered considerably.

X

After dinner Emily left her plate outside her room and made her way down the hall. When she arrived in Aiden's room she found he was in the shower so she took a seat on the bed to wait for him.

As she did she began to wonder where he had been that had taken four hours. She thought for too long and found herself coming up with scary possibilities like he was buying her an engagement ring or visiting a secret lover, both ideas equally terrifying.

Before she had time to freak out anymore Aiden came out and seemed pleasantly surprised to find her waiting for him. Emily stood up as he walked over to her, just a towel wrapped around his waist. All terrifying ideas gone out of her head.

She grinned as she pulled him into a passionate kiss.

X

Aiden lay facing Emily, a smile on his face. Then he remembered

"Oh I got you something earlier." He replied.

He hadn't told her about seeing Dominick or meeting his mother or the fact that his mother was a woman Emily despised. He couldn't explain it but he felt a strange need to keep it a secret. For now anyway.

Emily raised an eyebrow as he reached into his jeans and pulled out a velvet box. He handed it to Emily who now had both eyebrows raised. When she opened it she gasped.

"Oh Aiden! It's gorgeous!" she cried taking the necklace out of the box. It had a thin silver chain and a small diamond heart charm. He helped her put it on as she held her hair up. She gave him a kiss, fingering the charm delicately.

"I love you." he whispered and she looked up at him, confidence in her eyes.

"I love you too."

**Ah some happy times for Ems and Aiden! Hope you enjoyed and here are some spoilers for the next chapter!**

_**Next Time**_

_Daniel tells Victoria he's found Emily. Will a visit from the Queen of the Hamptons reveal Emily's true identity? _

_Victoria stumbles on a surprising face. Can she convince Aiden to give her a chance?_

_Will Emily discover Aiden's secret?_

**Okay so just to let you know there is going to be ten chapters in all and am considering sequel if there is interest but I do have the rest of this story planned so just to let you know there is a point to the story. I hope you are enjoying and please, please…**

**REVIEW! Thank you! Tenth reviewer (for this chap only) gets to add their own twist so review to have an input!**


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